Nairobi: Detectives arrest quack for fraudulent medical practices

Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have apprehended a suspected quack, said to have been operating a medical facility within Kayole Phase 1 in Nairobi.

The suspect identified as 45-year-old James Waweru Njenga, was arrested for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting patients and falsifying medical records.

Waweru, who is currently held at Kamukunji Police Station, purported to be a qualified medical officer at his unregistered medical facility going by "Axis Medical Clinic and Lab Services."

According to the DCI, the arrest followed a complaint from a victim who reported that between March 1 and March 27, 2024, Waweru charged him over Sh60,000 for sample tests allegedly conducted at laboratories in reputable medical facilities across the country. Subsequently, Waweru diagnosed the victim with a liver disorder.

"Despite receiving a prescription, the patient's condition worsened, prompting him to seek a second opinion from a specialist at Nairobi West Hospital. However, no lab tests conducted at the hospital indicated any liver issues," detectives said.

Following investigations, DCI, in collaboration with officers from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, uncovered that the medical reports provided to the patient, supposedly from German Medical Centre, Jubaland Imaging Centre, and Mater Hospital, were all fraudulent and falsified.